The present invention generally pertains to assembly toys and is particularly directed to an improved building element for a set of toy building elements.
Examples of prior art toy building elements are described in European Patent No. 0,766,585 and in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,132,757; 3,195,266; 3,374,917; 5,653,621; 5795.210 and 5,826,394. The toy building element described in European Patent No. 0,766,585 includes side walls; a top having a broad surface that extends toward the side walls and a cylindrical projection extending above the broad surface; a open bottom; and an interior having a plurality of surfaces that are accessible through the open bottom and disposed for interconnecting with the projection on the top of another such building element in a releasable frictional engagement; wherein two of the side walls each includes a groove; and two of side walls each includes a tongue for interconnecting in a releasable restraining engagement within a groove in a side wall of another such building element.
In one aspect, the present invention provides a building element for a set of toy building elements that are capable of being interconnected in a releasable engagement, comprising side walls; a top having a broad surface that extends toward the side walls and a projection extending above the broad surface; an open bottom; and an interior having a plurality of ribs extending inwardly from the sidewalls, with said ribs including contact surfaces that are accessible through the open bottom and disposed for interconnecting with the projection on the top of another such building element in a releasable engagement; wherein at least some of the interior contact surfaces include lateral indentations; and wherein the projection includes at least one lateral ridge disposed above the broad surface for being interconnected in a releasable restraining engagement within at least some of the indentations in the interior contact surfaces of another such building element.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a building element for a set of toy building elements that are capable of being interconnected in a releasable engagement, comprising side walls; a top having a broad surface that extends toward the side walls and a projection extending above the broad surface; an open bottom; and an interior having a plurality of ribs extending inwardly from the sidewalls, with said ribs including contact surfaces that are accessible through the open bottom and disposed for interconnecting with the projection on the top of another such building element in a releasable engagement; wherein the projection and at least some of the interior contact surfaces are adapted for effecting a releasable restraining engagement between the projection of said building element and said at least some of the interior contact surfaces of another such building element; wherein at least one of the side walls includes at least one groove; wherein at least one of the side walls includes at least one tongue for interconnecting in a reasonable restraining engagement within a said groove in a side wall of another said building element; wherein in at least some of the interior contact surfaces include lateral indentations; and wherein the projection includes at least one lateral ridge disposed above the broad surface for being interconnected in a releasable restraining engagement within at least some of the indentions in the interior contact surfaces of another such building element.
In further aspect, the present invention provides a building element for a set of toy building elements that are capable of being interconnected in a releasable engagement, comprising side walls; a top having a broad surface that extends toward the side walls and a projection extending above the broad surface; an open bottom; and an interior having a plurality of contact surfaces that are accessible through the open bottom and disposed for interconnecting with the projection on the top of another such building element in a releasable engagement; wherein at least some of the interior contact surfaces include lateral indentations; wherein the projection includes at least one lateral ridge disposed above the broad surface for being interconnected in a releasable restraining engagement within at least some of the indentations in the interior contact surfaces of another such building element; wherein at least some of the indentations are disposed a given distance above the bottom; wherein the at least one ridge is disposed approximately the given distance above the broad surface for said releasable restraining engagement within said at least some of the indentations in the interior contact surfaces of another such building element when the broad surface contacts the bottom of said another such building element; and wherein the beginning of the at least some indentations above the bottom is less distance above the bottom than the distance of the beginning of the ridge above the broad surface.
Additional features of the present invention are described with reference to the detailed description of the preferred embodiments.